Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have produced an outstanding image of the spiral galaxy UGC 5460.
This Hubble image shows UGC 5460, a spiral galaxy some 60 million light-years away in the constellation of Ursa Major. Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble / W. Jacobson-Galán / A. Filippenko / J. Mauerhan.
UGC 5460 is located approximately 60 million light-years away in the constellation of Ursa Major.
Otherwise known as IRAS F10048+5205, LEDA 29469 or TC 132, the galaxy is seen very close to face-on.
In 2011 and 2015, two supernova explosions, named SN 2011ht and SN 2015as, respectively, were observed in UGC 5460.
“It’s because of these two stellar explosions that Hubble targeted this galaxy, collecting data for three observing programs that aim to study various kinds of supernovae,” the Hubble astronomers said in a statement.
“SN 2015as was what’s known as a core-collapse supernova: a cataclysmic explosion that happens when the core of a star far more massive than the Sun runs out of fuel and collapses under its own gravity, initiating a rebound of material outside the core.”
“Hubble observations of SN 2015as will help researchers understand what happens when the expanding shockwave of a supernova collides with the gas that surrounds the exploded star.”
“SN 2011ht might have been a core-collapse supernova as well, but it could also be an impostor called a luminous blue variable.”
“Luminous blue variables are rare stars that experience eruptions so large that they can mimic supernovae.”
“Crucially, luminous blue variables emerge from these eruptions unscathed, while stars that go supernova do not.”
“Hubble will search for a stellar survivor at SN 2011ht’s location, and the explosion’s identity may be revealed at last.”
The color image of UGC 5460 is made up of observations from Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) in the ultraviolet, near-infrared, and optical parts of the spectrum.
“This image combines four different wavelengths of light to reveal UGC 5460’s central bar of stars, winding spiral arms and bright blue star clusters,” the astronomers said.
“Also captured in the upper left-hand corner of this image is a far closer object: a star just 577 light-years away in our own Galaxy.”
